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Marital status linked to better functional outcomes following surgery, Penn Medicine study finds

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania found that married patients had a significantly lower risk of dying or developing a new functional disability after cardiac surgery. The study analyzed data from over 29,000 adults and found that unmarried patients were 40% more likely to experience poor outcomes.

Could your job be making you obese?

A new study published in Social Science & Medicine suggests that having skills and freedom at work is linked to lower BMI and smaller waist size, while needing to make many decisions is linked to bigger waist size. The findings highlight the importance of considering job control components separately when assessing their impact on health.

SourceElsevier·JournalSocial Science & Medicine·DateOct 28, 2015

Family interventions reduce smoking rates in children and adolescents

A global review found family-based programs can effectively stop children from taking up smoking, with high-intensity interventions showing the most promising results. The programs encourage parents to set limits, strengthen nurturing skills, and discuss substances with their adolescents, helping them resist peer pressure.

SourceQueensland University of Technology·JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·DateMar 4, 2015

Sickness and health between men and women

A study by Washington State University researchers found that women are more impacted by illness than men, unless multiple symptoms are present. Women with specific personality types, such as high agreeableness or low conscientiousness, may experience less impact from mental illness due to their social networks and coping mechanisms.

SourceWashington State University·JournalJournal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics·DateFeb 19, 2015

Study: Eat school lunch after recess

A Brigham Young University study found that switching recess before lunch increases fruit and vegetable consumption in children by 54%. This simple, no-cost trick has the potential to improve long-term health effects and make school meal programs more successful.

SourceBrigham Young University·JournalPreventive Medicine·DateJan 13, 2015

How to achieve health equity

The article highlights the persistent health gap between whites and blacks, despite improvements in care access. Effective strategies for closing this gap include reporting clinical performance data by race, offering tailored interventions, and creating risk-adjusted scores.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateDec 10, 2014

Wind farms to do not affect property values, study finds

A new study from the University of Guelph analyzed over 7,000 home and farm sales in Ontario and found that wind farms have no statistically significant impact on property values. The research used a unique method to capture property value fluctuations before, during, and after wind farm development.

SourceUniversity of Guelph·JournalCanadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d agroeconomie·DateDec 8, 2014

Higher birth weight indicates better performance in school

A new study from the University of Florida and Northwestern University found that children with higher birth weights perform better in school, regardless of family background. The research, which analyzed data from over 1.6 million children, suggests that early health struggles may play a significant role in educational outcomes.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalAmerican Economic Review·DateDec 4, 2014